Now we come to the location which the first half of Mark's book centers around, the Sea of Galilee. In those days, and sometimes in the Bible, it was also…
According to Peter, everyone with a gift in the church has something to offer the others in the church. This is particularly impressive when you think of the original recipients…
With the beginning of Jesus' preaching ministry, we have a conclusion, of sorts, to Mark's introduction. He had said, "The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of…
Mark does not include robust detail about Jesus' time of temptation in the wilderness. Matthew and Luke record three direct temptations from Satan, along with Jesus' scriptural rebuttals to each.…
After setting the stage and telling us about John the Baptist, Mark immediately takes us to the inauguration of Jesus' earthly ministry. (6 Minutes/1600 Words)
The first question we should ask is this: why study? Why take time out of our busy lives to think about, meditate on, contemplate, and digest a study of God's…
Like the burning bush that kicked off the whole thing, an unquenchable fire blazed within Moses. He wanted to see God. In unparalleled wisdom, he was certain no amount of…
The prophets of old had predicted a day would come when the Holy Spirit would be poured out upon God's people, forming a new and special relationship never before seen…
Mark uses what most assume to be hyperbole to describe John's popularity. He said, “All the country of Judea and all Jerusalem were going out to him and were being…
Mark rarely quotes from the Old Testament Scriptures. When he does quote them, it is only the characters of the particular episode -- usually Jesus -- quoting them. (3 Minutes/800…
Right away, with his first words, Mark shows us his hand concerning Jesus. He tells us what he thinks of Christ. He is **the Son of God**. All through the…
Calvary Monterey is starting a new monthly ministry in 2022 called Growth Nights. This night will provide us a chance to dive deeper into church-wide fellowship and intentional spiritual development.…
The study of Mark, or any other of the gospels in the New Testament, should lead us beyond mere learning or curiosity. We should not approach them as a way…
I pray you've just enjoyed a wonderful Christmas and are feeling refreshed as you prepare for all that lies ahead in 2022. Whether you are part of Calvary Monterey or…
As we stand on the precipice of a new year, we are bound to look back upon our current one. We might discover darkness and difficulty, pain and agony. We…
Last week we considered what the Magnificat says about God. The previous week we thought about what the song said about Mary. Today, we will set our minds upon what…
Last week we thought about what the Magnificat, Mary's song in response to Elizabeth's greeting, said about Mary. Our next question is: *What does the song say about God? (5…
Allow me to introduce you to a much better Christmas song than any modern artist could compose. In the early chapters of Luke, three songs were sung. Simeon sang the…
Jesus taught hard, radical things. During his sermon on the mount, he said, “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’” (Matthew…
The Proverbs were written in a bygone era, a time many millennia before our modern age. Our social advancements and media, our technologies, were beyond any of their dreams. But…
I am looking for 6-10 good men/pastors who would like to be part of a pastoral encouragement group in 2022. The past couple of years have presented unique challenges to…
One of the most well-known lines of American poetry came from the pen of Robert Frost, in his poem "The Road Not Taken." He wrote: I think many love the…
In this section of the Book of Leviticus are the annual feasts or festivals that Israel would celebrate before God as a way to worship the Lord. Most of these…
John has warned throughout his whole letter of the danger of following the spirit of the antichrist. He's told us Jesus is God the Son who came in the flesh,…
In the final stretch of his letter, John used the phrase "we know" a few times to recap everything he's taught up to this point. There's John again, certain and…
Every human has had the experience of being misunderstood. In some instances, we feel the problem lies with our audience. Sometimes we think the problem lies with us, especially when…
Severe warnings open up Leviticus 20, where we're continuing on in the book of Leviticus in a section where we're seeing the law codes in ancient Israel, laws for God's…
Good doctrine leads to healthy action, and John believed his teaching would lead his audience to a life of confidence before God. And this is how he approached the end…
Churches should have a vision of what their communities could look like if impacted by Christ. Various facets of life are all driven forward by having a strong vision. Militaries,…